The present invention relates to a connecting line or pipe, which is disposed in the exhaust system of a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, for providing the connection between the exhaust manifold and the muffler.
In motor vehicles with front-wheel drive and transversely arranged engines, the rotary movement of the engine about its longitudinal axis, which rotary movement is produced mainly by the driving moment, is particularly strong. This rotary movement of the engine is initiated by the exhaust system of the motor vehicle. Unless it is reduced by the elasticity of the exhaust line, the rotary moment results in a significant deflection of the tailpipe. Since the required clearance from the chassis of the motor vehicle would no longer be assured if the tailpipe were deflected too much, such deflection must be limited. Since with rigid clamping of the exhaust system considerable bending stresses would occur therein, which stresses would lead to breaks at least over the course of time, it is necessary to at least provide individual regions of the exhaust system with an elastic configuration.
It is known therefore, (e.g. see German Pat. No. 1,005,319, issued May 14th, 1958) to build joints into the exhaust line so as to assure the desired elasticity. However, in that case movable seals must also be provided which, due to the prevalent high temperatures, are greatly subject to wear. It is also known (e.g. German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,256,718, published May 22nd, 1974) to include a corrugated pipe in the exhaust line which has a specially dimensioned wall thickness. When such a corrugated pipe is used, the above-mentioned difficulties are completely eliminated but the cost for the manufacture of such corrugated pipes is considerable.